The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Lakshman's Turn!

Present

"Again this Urmila!" Angad exclaimed, and Lakshman silently cursed. "Come on, she has to be more than an extra. I mean, is she a friend of yours, or as we mentioned, Prabhu Shri Ram's second wife, though I do doubt that. Is she maybe Bharat bhaiyya's wife? I know you mentioned Shatrughan bhaiyya had one, but never Bharat bhaiyya." Lakshman's eyes darted for a moment, before calmly settling on Angad.

"She is Sita bhabhi's sister, and thus Ram bhaiyya's too." He thought about it for a second. "So I guess mine as well..." he trailed off in horror, his face suddenly paling. Oh no, wait what? "Uh-let's continue." he quickly hastened before he found more disturbing things about his marriage that he hadn't cared to think about before.

Flashback

"-and anyone else." But Ram just pouted, crossing his arms and staring off into the horizon. Bharat and Shatrughan popped up from behind the tree (as they were prone to doing sometimes), and nodded along.

"I'd bet that Sita bhabhi hasn't even met a boy around her age!" Bharat declared, optimistic as he was. "I'd bet she's never even met a boy before you-no that's hoping too much. But we all know that you were her first love, and the first boy who loved her for who she was instead of her beauty or whatever. And we all know that I am the best devar there could ever be-" Bharat was beat around the head by Shatrughan as Lakshman looked scarily serious at that very moment.

-----O-----

They walked into the palace minutes later, and Janak pulled them in for a close hug, all except Lakshman and Shatrughan, whom he kept a distance of three feet away for different safety reasons. So he only hugged Bharat and Ram, which looked weird, but anyways. "Hello!" he boomed, laughing. "We're here to welcome a more welcome guest today! Come, come, stand here!"

He clapped excitedly, and arranged all the brothers in a line, with special attention that Ram was placed next to Sita. And then the doors were thrown open, and a procession entered the throne room of Mithila. Through the opening of the heavy wooden doors entered a messenger, his head held high, and his oiled mustache (because these fishy characters always should have oiled mustaches) curled into a perfect spiral at both ends.

"Entering," he boomed, and Bharat half-jumped, Ram amusedly pulling him back down. "Crown Prince Zubair the Great of the Shakya Kingdom!" Ram paused as a tall man entered, with somewhat dusky skin and hazel eyes. His dark brown hair fell further than his shoulder, reaching mid back, and upon his mouth lay a playful smirk of sorts. Ram noticed that this man was fairly handsome, and seemed to know Janak well. What he also noticed? Sita turned bright red.

Present

Neel choked on his water, and Jal, for what seemed like the enneth time, dropped her sewing as Hanuman and Angad both leaned in, equally interested in this new turn of Lakshman bhaiyya's. But Lakshman didn't seem nearly as interested in this new turn of Lakshman bhaiyya's. "No, no, that's not spicy enough." he murmured to himself, stroking his chin as Nal made a noise as if he was gargling. "Oh, I know!"

Flashback

"Wait, I know him!" Shrutakirti hissed, poking Lakshman's arm. "I remember, he used to be our childhood friend! He was sent away for some time, and Sita didi and Janak chacha were both heartbroken, because the latter planned to make a marriage alliance between the both of them." Shatrughan whimpered slightly as Bharat rubbed his temples exasperatedly. Ram shifted imperceptibly closer to Sita, almost protectively.